Tom Gendron, chairman and CEO of Woodward Inc., speaks to the audience during the Transform Rockford summit at the Coronado Performing Arts Center in Rockford on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013.

Nov. 18, 2013
2:56 p.m.

More than 850 people will attend Wednesday's sold-out Rockford Area Economic Development Council's annual meeting and dinner at Giovanni's Restaurant and Convention Center.Tom Gendron, chairman and CEO of Woodward Inc., will be keynote speaker with his "The Power of a Shared Vision" message.Gendron has been leading the Transform Rockford effort to turn the city from one Forbes calls miserable into one that is envied.Networking is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m. The program starts at 7 p.m.Reporter Georgette Braun will tweet from the meeting @GeorgetteBraun. Join her in tweeting, using the #TransformRockford hashtag.The next Transform Rockford meeting will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 14 at Ellis Elementary School in Rockford. Comparisons will be made between top cities and Rockford at the meeting. The aim is to develop strategies to make Rockford a top city.